


Partnered Up

by Merfilly



Series: Jedi Asajj [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Jedi Apprentice Series - Jude Watson & Dave Wolverton, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Relationships, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 14:16:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8017234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set against the Tahl storyline, Asajj and Obi-Wan partner up for the first time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partnered Up

"Stay clear, Qui-Gon, or else!"

"Tahl, you must listen!"

"I suggest you both calm yourselves and quiet this before a master takes note of us all," Ky Narec told both of his age mates.

After the trip and oddness of his master lately, Obi-Wan was just as glad that Knight Narec decided to be the one to get in the middle of Tahl and Qui-Gon arguing. When Tahl stormed off, Ky had grabbed Qui-Gon's arm, keeping him right there. Obi-Wan wondered if he should interfere, but Qui-Gon's behavior lately had him worried.

At sixteen, Obi-Wan had been wrestling with a number of personal issues. On the one hand, he had been teamed up with Siri Tachi so often that they had, mostly, put the past behind them and were…

…well, friends covered it for now. There'd been a little awkward fumbling around in the dark on their last ship, away from where their masters had been, and they both enjoyed it mostly, but it wasn't what either of them really wanted. This was despite knowing they did care deeper for each other than the Code approved of.

No, Obi-Wan was a mass of conflicted emotions and hormones, one of which was harder than the other to control. At least with hormones, he could typically escape into the 'fresher and deal with those.

"If she says to leave her be, you need to respect that distance," Narec was saying in a hushed, low voice, but the intensity drew Obi-Wan back to it.

"Ky, I am seeing her in mortal peril! And you have to admit that she has been reckless of late! She doesn't even take Bant with her!"

"It is her choice," Ky said. "You cannot abridge that; it breaks down all that you and she have built yourselves on."

Obi-Wan felt a wave of anger and defiance in his master, moments before those broad shoulders drooped. "Dammit, Ky," he muttered, as Obi-Wan moved closer.

"If Master Tahl is going to be in danger, maybe I could go with another padawan to be discreetly available?" Obi-Wan suggested, not liking that defeat he was feeling in his master, his own chest seizing up with worry and fear for the man that he was most conflicted about.

"Absolutely not!" Qui-Gon immediately decreed.

"It's a good idea, but I know none of your friends are going to be available this week, save Bant, and she'd be a giveaway," Ky said. 

"There's your padawan," Obi-Wan said.

"It's too dangerous, Obi-Wan, so do drop it," Qui-Gon said. "Besides, the child is far too young."

Ky looked thoughtful, then smiled slyly. "You know, your padawan is half on the right track. Tahl told you to leave her alone, old friend… not me. But the boy would move easier in that situation than I can, and if he has Asajj at his side, I will be able to monitor."

Qui-Gon growled. "Why am I the one being pushed to the side when I am her best friend and have been since we were in the creche?"

"Because, Qui… she expects you to follow; it will anger her deeply and prove you cannot respect her boundaries, and because you cannot think as clearly as I can on the matter." Ky's words got a reproachful glare, but Qui-Gon was starting to look less defensive.

"Obi-Wan, are you certain you wish to do this? The Council is against any help for her, as it is not a true request to us for assistance," Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "I don't want anything to happen to Master Tahl," he said, haunted, slightly, by his guilt in nearly costing her her life years before.

"Ky, take care of my padawan, then, and bring our Tahl home safely as well." Qui-Gon gripped both of their shoulders firmly… and then went to the salle to take out his frustrations safely.

"He backed down," Obi-Wan said softly, amazed. Ky Narec chuckled.

"Only because he's already plotting to be the cavalry, young one. Let's go get Asajj and be gone. We'd be better served by arriving on that planet before Tahl."

"Yes, Master."

* * *

"You're why we're in this miserable position," Asajj hissed, keeping her voice low as they hid in the ductwork, giving Ky Narec time to make a diversion for them to escape.

"Would you rather be back in the Temple, glaring at the Temple-raised for failing to see your charms?" Obi-Wan said in kind. She made a face at him, something between a sneer and a grimace. "Relax, Asajj. We're not on the run from the planetary government at least."

"Yet. I've heard of your tendencies, Obi-Wan," she told him, before wriggling a little to stretch out more, keeping her weight spread evenly.

"From who, so I know how exaggerated they are," he invited, following her example.

"Luminara."

"Oh, well then… I promise that most of those adventures were my Master's fault, and he's not here, now is he?" There was no arguing with Lumi's honesty, and Asajj had been in the temple long enough to know that. The Mirialan was cutting in her appraisal of situations and fast-tracking toward Knight, despite only being a year older than Obi-Wan. 

"You have answers for everything, don't you?"

"I don't see you falling short," he retorted. "I've seen the way you handle those who think they can bully you. And I respect that immensely."

"Why?" The word came out short and snappish.

"Because I never managed to handle my bully in any way that didn't land me on disciplinary duty," Obi-Wan said candidly. "And it actually got me kicked onto a transport for the Agricorps a full month before my thirteenth name-day."

Asajj frowned at that, but more, he saw something like fear flash through her eyes. "They threw _you_ away?"

"You say that like I'm actually worth something," he answered her in surprise. She scoffed at him with a huff of air.

"You're Obi-Wan Kenobi, the perfect padawan that all the Masters hope doesn't grow to be too much like his rogue master."

That got some temper up in Obi-Wan's eyes and quiet voice. "Master Qui-Gon is **not** a rogue Jedi. He thinks differently, and he might be contrary, but he always has good reasons for the way he argues!"

She was smirking, when he could see anything beyond the temper she had provoked, and he almost started in on her, until he saw there was respect there too.

"I didn't realize you could be riled up. I thought Siri was lying about that."

"She'd know," Obi-Wan muttered, getting a laugh from the precocious young padawan across from him.

"You defend your master well. Perhaps we will be friends after all," Asajj told him.


End file.
